Thea thought about that. “Is there any way to safely stop a spell? Like, what if something starts to go wrong or Sybil scuffs up the edges of the circle?”
“Hey, I resent that,” Sybil said from Thea’s lap.
“You could try to direct it into another spell, but, frankly, it’s rather dangerous to try. Better to just do things as planned.”
“Well, if it gets to that point, it seems like it would be dangerous either way. I mean you wouldn’t mess that up on purpose.”
“See what I mean,” Granny said. “You are too smart for your own good.”
Chapter 21
With a small groan, Thea pushed herself up into a sitting position on her bed. She rubbed at her eyes until she saw colors, doing her best to get rid of the grogginess. Despite her best efforts to start the day off right, there was an odd feeling in her chest.
Considering that it was Halloween, she shrugged it off as some nervous excitement. However, something kept pestering her. It lingered as she brushed her teeth and got ready for the day. Persisting, even as she descended the stairs and said goodbye to Granny.
Based on the look on Granny’s face, as well as Sybil’s apprehensive stare, Thea knew that she wasn’t the only one feeling off that day.
“Everything alright?” Thea asked, grabbing her keys. “Something’s on your mind, isn’t there?”
“I guess you could say that,” Granny replied. She shook her head. “But I’m sure it’s nothing. Go on. Make sure to stay safe today, Thea. You know how reckless people can be on Halloween.” She craned her neck, peering down at the familiar waiting for Thea at the front door. “And try not to get into any trouble today, Sybil.”
The kitten narrowed her eyes. “I don’t get into trouble. Well, sometimes, but it’s often necessary.”
“Mhm,” Granny hummed, glancing at Thea. “You two have fun.”
Thea and Sybil hopped into the car, their destination being the Maline Cuisine. She wanted to speak with Francis a bit more about the investigation. The head chef wasn’t in the clear just yet. He was still a potential suspect in Maisie’s murder and Thea wanted to clear things up before the situation got even more muddled.
“Wait here,” she whispered to Sybil once she parked her car in front of the restaurant. The familiar didn’t argue, only curling up into a ball and quickly falling asleep in the backseat.
Since it was so early in the morning, the Maline Cuisine wasn’t as booming as it usually was. There were a few customers here and there, but the ambience was relatively quiet.
As she gazed around the establishment looking for Francis, Thea spotted Annie near the back clearing some dirty dishes from a table. When she caught her eye, she sent her a wave. The girl did a double-take, before sending Thea a small greeting of her own.
“You’re working the morning shift, huh?” Thea asked, making her way over.
Annie nodded, gesturing towards the dining area. “It’s not too bad. Most people don’t come here to eat breakfast anyway, so service is always slow at the start of the day.”
“That makes sense,” Thea replied. “Annie... when we were at the haunted house party... did you see Dean anywhere?”
The girl rolled her eyes at the mention. She sighed, continuing to pick up plates from the empty table.
“Yeah. He was there with his girlfriend, Demi. Not surprising at all.”
Thea pressed her lips into a thin line, tracing her fingers over her bracelet in thought. Annie noticed how she went silent and tilted her head inquisitively.
“Why do you ask?”
“The investigation,” Thea explained, which made Annie let out a small breath. “We’re getting closer to finding the killer, but all of these leads are coming up empty. That’s part of the reason why I came here today. I wanted to talk to Francis.”
“Ah. No wonder,” Annie said gently, wrapping up her work. “Hope you find what you’re looking for.”
“Thank you,” Thea said, watching the girl return to the kitchen with her arms full of plates.
Just as she went in, Francis came out of those same doors with exhaustion evident on his features. Thea hurried over, catching up to him before he disappeared into his office.
“Francis!” she exclaimed, almost stumbling on her own shoelaces as she reached him.
His eyes widened once he noticed her.
“Where were you the night Maisie died? It’s important that you answer honestly, for obvious reasons.”
Francis recoiled at the question, frowning deeply. When it was clear that Thea wasn’t going to leave without an answer, he gave in. The situation pained him.
“I was here. Working,” he responded, motioning towards the kitchen he just came from. “If you need an alibi, you can talk to any one of my servers or cooks. They can confirm everything.”
“And what about magic? How do you feel about that?”
He spluttered, bewildered by the jump in topics. “W-What do I feel? I mean... is this a trick question? Are you asking me that because it’s Halloween...?”
Thea smiled, gauging his reaction. The small voice in her mind was telling her that Francis wasn’t capable of performing spells that were potent enough to kill someone. At least, he didn’t show any signs of it.
“Of course,” she said, playing it off as a joke. “It’s a special day, after all. It always feels magical on Halloween.”
“Definitely, I agree,” Francis replied, chuckling briefly to himself.
“Don’t worry, Francis. We’ll find Maisie’s murderer soon,” Thea reassured, patting him on the shoulder.
The chef sighed, closing his eyes. He relaxed at the news.
“I really hope so. Thank you for all of your hard work, Thea. I appreciate everything you’ve been doing,” he remarked. “Are you leaving soon? You’re not hungry, are you?”
“I’m fine for right now, Francis. I’ve gotta get going, but I’ll stop by later if I need anything.”
He seemed comforted by that response. Waving goodbye, Thea swiftly exited the Maline Cuisine with a plan already formulating in her mind. Blaine’s number was the only thing she focused on as she pulled out her phone. Dialing his number was a part of her muscle memory, by then.
“What’s going on, Thea?” he asked once her call went through. “Have you found anything interesting?”
“Not quite. Just finished talking to Francis, but there was nothing out of the ordinary over here,” she explained, settling into the driver’s seat of her car once more. “I’m going to head to the neighborhood that the scry suggested. I’ll try to find the ritual circle.”
“Sheesh, you’re eager to work,” Blaine commented in a playful manner. “You wouldn’t mind a partner, would you? There’s not much going on at the police department right now.”
“Who am I to refuse,” she replied, smiling at the way he laughed at her answer.
“Perfect. I’ll meet you there.”
Chapter 22
“Are we getting close?” Sybil asked, tossing a glance over her shoulder at Thea.
Staring at their surroundings, Thea let out a hum. “It looks like we’re getting closer to the outskirts of the neighborhood.” She reached into her pocket and pulled out the map, focusing on the area they were passing through. “Get ready, Sybil. I need you to focus on finding that circle.”
“Already on it,” the familiar mumbled, raising her a tail a little higher.
Thea followed behind the kitten, her gaze often flickering between Sybil and the map. They were in a part of town that she wasn’t familiar with. The last thing she wanted to do was get lost.
As they stood at an intersection waiting to cross, Thea heard her name get called from a distance. Turning around, she watched as Blaine jogged his way over, red in the face and breathless. She raised a brow at his appearance, but was relieved that he managed to find them all the same.
“Any luck so far?” he asked, hands on his hips as he caught his breath.
Pressing her lips into a th
in line, Thea shook her head. “Not yet. Sybil hasn’t found anything so far.”
“Emphasis on the yet,” the familiar piped up, batting her tail. “Just give me some time. I’ll come up with something.”
“We’re counting on you, Sybil,” Blaine said, smiling at the way the kitten’s eyes turned into slits as she stared at him.
Throughout the rest of their expedition, they received various odd looks from the people they passed by. Thea couldn’t blame them. It wasn’t everyday where someone saw two adults with a map following around a small kitten through the neighborhood. Those under-the-brow stares were warranted.
It didn’t stop Thea’s cheeks from burning up in embarrassment every time they happened, but she understood regardless.
“I really hope we’re able to find something soon,” she whispered to Blaine as they turned onto yet another residential street. “I don’t like how often these people are looking at us. It’s kind of been adding to this weird feeling in my chest.”
“A weird feeling?” Blaine asked, frowning.
She nodded. “I woke up feeling this way. When I talked to Granny about it, she said that she was feeling the same way. I don’t know...” Thea kicked at a rock. “I hate feeling this way.”
“Hey,” Blaine said, taking her hand in his. “We’ll be fine. Trust me. We can handle just about anything this town is willing to throw at us.”
“I hope so,” she muttered, staring at her shoes. “I really hope that whoever we’re dealing with isn’t a powerful witch or warlock. By the looks of it, they could be.”
“So what if they are?” he challenged. “You’re the strongest witch I know. They wouldn’t stand a chance against you.”
Thea laughed softly, shaking her head. “Now you’re just overhyping me.”
“Really? I feel like the hype is at an appropriate amount right now.”
“I was barely able to complete the anti-magic shield that Tiegen was teaching me. And by the end of that lesson, I was gassed. That doesn’t seem very good to me.”
“Okay, and? You act as if everyone around here can complete an anti-magic shield,” he joked, nudging at her elbow. “And even if you can’t do one right now, that’s alright. You’re crafty. You can figure something else out, I’m sure.”
She leaned further into his touch, charmed by the way he wrapped his arm around her. Each time he did that, she seemed to fall for him a bit more.
“Thank you for that, Blaine,” she said. “I appreciate it a lot. You’re always reassuring me, even when you don’t have to.”
“It’s the least I can do,” he replied, shrugging. “It’s the bare minimum I can do as your boyfriend.”
Sybil bared her teeth. “Can you two hush it with all the mushy talk? It’s making my ears itch.”
“Sheesh. Sorry, Sybil,” Blaine spoke under his breath, somewhat intimidated by the tiny familiar. “Didn’t mean to overwhelm you with–”
“Shush it,” the familiar interjected, eyes wide as she stared at a specific house.
Without warning, she broke from the sidewalk and crossed the street. Thea and Blaine shared a quick look before hurrying after her. Soon enough, Sybil began circling the house in question. She was sheathing and unsheathing her claws.
“This is it,” Sybil said. “This is the place.”
Thea felt her heart leap into her throat at those words. Shutting her eyes, she did her best to relax and focus on her magical meditation. Gradually, she took multiple deep breaths. Blaine’s hand on her shoulder did wonders to help alleviate the tension in her body.
When she opened her eyes again, her breath hitched in her throat to see numerous wards surrounding the house. Some of them blocked the windows. Another was situated right in front of the doorway. There were even some that spread as far as the sidewalk.
She grimaced at the scene. How were they going to sneak their way inside? As she surveyed the house, she realized that there was no simple way to enter without going through the front door.
Blaine noticed the same. He cracked the knuckles in his hand, preparing himself to knock on the front door. However, Thea stopped him abruptly by tugging on his sleeve.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, confused by her shift in demeanor. “I’m going to go talk to the owner of the house.”
“I-I know, but...” Thea fumbled over her words, face growing pale the longer she stared at the house.
Noticing the expression on her face, Blaine froze. “Thea, what’s wrong?”
“I don’t know if this is a good idea anymore.”
“Why?” Blaine questioned, genuinely confused. “Sybil went through all that work to find the house where the circle is. We walked all the way here. Why back out now?”
Thea glanced at him. Her eyes were heavy with apprehension.
“That’s Tiegen’s house, Blaine. The ritual circle is in Tiegen’s house.”
Chapter 23
Blaine did a double-take, staring at the house in its entirety. Eventually, he turned back to Thea.
“Are you serious?”
“I wouldn’t lie about something like this,” she remarked, crossing her arms over her chest. “I haven’t been to her house in ages, so I forgot what it looked like. But...” she nodded towards the mailbox with a distinctive Beal plaque engraved into the metal. “This is definitely where she lives.”
“So what do we do now? Do we change our game plan?” Blaine stared down at Sybil, who looked just as perplexed by the situation as he did. “I don’t think we should just abandon this.”
Thea didn’t know what to think. Reminded by the conversations she had with the activists in downtown Ardensville, she felt a knot forming at the back of her throat. She didn’t want to believe in the possibility that her aunt was involved in this murder. Whenever the thought passed through her mind, a shiver coursed down her spine.
“I... I think...” Thea started, taking longer than usual to find the right words. “I think that we should–”
The front door of the house opened to reveal Tiegen in casual attire. She leaned on the doorframe, staring at them from afar. Thea couldn’t discern her expression. Slight displeasure coupled with a cool indifference, maybe.
“Would you all like to come in? I have some tea on the stove. I don’t mind sharing,” she said, retreating into her house but leaving the door open for the three of them.
Swallowing thickly, Thea led the way in. In hindsight, she was glad. There was no way she was going to get through the wards. Neither her magic nor her agility was potent enough to take on such a task.
Once through the door, Blaine stuck his hands in his pockets and glanced around. He shot Tiegen a tight smile.
“I hope your day has been going well,” he said.
Tiegen dunked the tea bag into her cup. She looked at Blaine briefly before resuming her activities. Her unwillingness to talk made Blaine and Thea fidget.
“Have you been busy today?” Blaine asked, hoping this would spark a conversation. The silence in the room was getting to him.
Once again, Tiegen said nothing. Her only response was a small shrug, followed by a quiet hiss as her fingers grazed across the simmering teapot.
Blaine clenched his jaw as he looked to Thea. This was her aunt, after all. If anyone would know how to coax some words out of Tiegen Beal, it would be her very own niece.
Recognizing the silent plea on Blaine’s face, Thea finally stepped forward.
“Aunt Tiegen, we need to talk. It’s pretty urgent.”
“Well, go on. I won’t stop you,” Tiegen replied, blowing at her tea.
Reaching into her pocket, Thea pulled out the sketch of the ritual circle. Goosebumps still trailed up her arms every time she gazed at it. She stuck the paper in front of her aunt.
“We wanted to find out where else in Ardensville this circle might be. We used a scrying spell,” Thea explained, watching out of the corner of her eye as Sybil took a cautious seat on the floor. “The scry led us here. To your house.”
Tiegen raised a brow at Thea. “Is that it?”
“I guess so.”
Laughing under her breath, Tiegen set down her cup and rose from her seat. She handed the sketch back to Thea, who seemed confused by her actions. Before she got the chance to open her mouth, Tiegen beat her to it.
“I have a lot of spell books, you know. Some of them, I actually use. Others are for protection. Others—” Tiegen heaved out a heavy breath as she moved a stack of books to the side. “—are just for fun.”
She suddenly halted her movements. Frowning, she shot Thea a troubled gaze.
“Is that the circle that killed the girl...? Maisie?”
Thea nodded. Tiegen’s face turned to stone as she continued rummaging through her belongings.
She reached into a hidden compartment behind her bookshelf, digging around her items until she pulled out a small golden key. It was weathered, due to its age. She then leaned over and unlocked the drawer in her desk. Tiegen dusted off the ancient leather bound book she retrieved.
“There’s only a few things that ritual circle is used for,” Tiegen began, flipping through the book’s pages. “None of them are good, unfortunately.”
Once she reached a certain point in the book, she flipped it around to show Thea and Blaine. They leaned in closer to catch a better glimpse of the images.
The pages were yellowed and ripped, but they displayed similar ritual circles to the one found in the haunted house. One of them in particular caught Thea’s eye. She pointed it out to Blaine.
“Look at that one,” she said. “It requires a full harvest moon to complete. Both Maisie and Julie were killed around the time of a harvest moon.”
“If that’s the case, then it seems to match up well with the one we found,” he replied, allowing Thea to take the book in her two hands.
“I think it’d be difficult to scry for some of these ingredients,” Thea admitted, skimming through the list of the required components for the ritual. “Caster’s blood and victim’s hair... we wouldn’t be able to do much without either one in front of us. They’re too specific.”
Ghoulish Magic (Tabby Kitten Mystery Book 5) Page 8
